


Family

by HiddenTohru



Category: Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-07-20
Updated: 2010-07-20
Packaged: 2017-10-10 16:57:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,929
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/102005
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HiddenTohru/pseuds/HiddenTohru
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Post-game, Laeti is dealing with some discipline problems when word comes that there's a new mabari litter on the way.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally written in March 2010.

Laeti gritted her teeth and counted to ten, slowly. The recruit standing in front of her was staring at his feet, one eye nearly swollen shut by an enormous bruise, his hair tangled and half pulled out of its ponytail, and there were numerous scrapes where he'd hit the rougher parts of the practice yard.

She took a deep breath and tried again. "And what, exactly, made attacking him seem like a good idea?"

The young elf shifted and brought his chin up defiantly. "He insulted my clan."

Laeti raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "... What did he say?"

"He asked if any humans lived with us. It is an insult."

Laeti rubbed her eyes, feeling a sigh rising in her throat. "... Marelen, when I brought you here, I told you there'd be things to get used to, didn't I? That it would be very different from how it is among the Dalish?"

The young man nodded, cautiously. "Yes, Commander."

She let the sigh out. "He was not trying to be insulting. Jarel has never seen a Dalish elf besides myself, and knows absolutely nothing about our ways. He was honestly just curious. Next time you get the urge to defend the honor of your clan, report the insult to me and I will see that whoever instigated it is punished, or educated, as the case may be. For now, you will report to bandage-making duty for the next five evenings after supper, and be grateful I'm not making it privy-cleaning duty."

Marelen opened his mouth to protest, but one look from the commander and he lowered his gaze, making a perfunctory bow before turning and storming out of the room.

She walked over to her desk and collapsed into the large wooden chair. She'd only brought two Dalish elves back from her last recruiting mission, and both of them had had numerous problems acclimating to the circumstances in Amaranthine. She had to hand it to Joran, he never stopped trying to be friends, even after the numerous times they'd called him a flatear and baited him for coming from the Alienage in Denerim. Her own patience was wearing dangerously thin, and only the knowledge that both of them had been unhappy in their clan and were formidable fighters made her continue trying.

She was reaching for the large pile of unfinished paperwork when her door swung open with a bang. She looked up, ready with a choice invective, but it died on her lips when she saw the look on the recruit's face. Her mind did a quick rundown of his features and she recognized him as one of the recruits who was on permanent kennel duty. She stood up. "Yes, Kenneth?"

He gulped air, still winded from the quick dash from the kennels. "I-It's time, Commander. Tally is having her pups."

Laeti grabbed a pair of worn gloves, glad she'd opted for plain clothes that day, instead of her nice leather armor. "Let's go, then."

The young man nodded and led the way back down to the kennels.

\-------------------------------

Alistair was kneeling beside the mabari bitch as she panted, her large body wracked by contractions. The first pup was almost out when Laeti and the recruit arrived, and Alistair backed up slightly as Tally bent to tear open the sac the puppy was in.

Laeti felt her heart swell in her chest as she watched her beloved sooth the mabari mother and check to see if the pup was all right. This was Tally's third litter, but she still felt such love and wonder every time she witnessed a mabari birth. She remained outside the enclosure, hardly noticing when Wiggles leaned into her, whining slightly as he watched his mate continue the arduous birthing process. It had seemed strange to her at first, that Tally had only accepted Alistair inside her enclosure when she was birthing, baring her teeth at both Laeti and Wiggles if they tried to come in, but now it just seemed normal. Alistair was a natural at working with mabari, and despite her bond with Wiggles, Laeti couldn't truly understand the breed in the way he could.

As the second pup emerged, he glanced over at where she stood outside the enclosure, and smiled.

\-------------------------------

Three hours and four puppies later, the mother and her litter of six were resting. Tally had allowed Wiggles inside to nose the puppies and nuzzle her lovingly, then he had left again, knowing it wasn't his place.

Alistair took off the heavy gloves he'd worn for the birthing, now covered in all kinds of fluids, and ran one hand through his sweaty hair. "She's a champion at birthing now, I hardly had to do anything. All the pups are strong, it's a good litter." He grinned down at Laeti. "I'm sure the recruits will all be flocking to kennel duty for the next couple weeks."

She gave him a sardonic smile in return. "Well, at least that makes doling out punishments easier." The smile turned into a genuine one as she looked past him to gaze at the puppies. "Six more. All healthy, no deaths."

The tall man hugged her from behind, forgetting about the deplorable state of his clothes. "Our family just got a little larger."

She twisted her neck to look up at him. "Our what?"

He smiled down at her. "I told you, after we met Goldanna, how I'd always wanted a proper family."

Her face fell. "I know. And I couldn't give it to you, not with both of us tainted."

He shook his head. "But you did." He made a gesture with his arm, encompassing the kennels, the practice yard, the entire castle, busy with recruits and Wardens all going about their business. "This is our family. Amaranthine, our recruits, the mabari, all of it is part of us. And I couldn't ask for better."

Laeti could feel tears starting in her eyes, and hoped none of the recruits could see her face. "Alistair... I think that's one of the most beautiful things you've ever said to me."

He turned her to face him, gently, and leaned down to kiss her. After a moment, he pulled back again and smiled tenderly. "Now let's go take a bath, and let the kennel master coo over the new pups when he thinks no one is looking."

She laughed as he swept her into his arms, and blessed the gods that what had started out as such a dark and lonely road had led her to such a wonderful life.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eleven months later, Tally's litter is ready to be imprinted on their Wardens.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally written in March 2010.

Joran was frowning as he walked through the practice yard toward the mabari kennels. Laeti and Zevran had departed Amaranthine a few days before on official business, and he had asked them to drop by the Alienage in Denerim, just to see how Shianni and the others were getting on. He wrote as often as he could, but his duties had made it a lot harder than he'd expected to actually visit them more than a few times since he'd become a Warden. He hated it when Zevran was away, always worrying that something or someone would try to take him away, no matter how many times he was assured it wouldn't happen.

Lost in thought, he almost passed by the kennels entirely, but a chorus of raucous barks brought him out of his reverie, and his frown disappeared as he knelt next to the large enclosure holding Tally's latest litter. It had been eleven months, and they would be ready for imprinting any day now. He had never really wanted a mabari for himself, although he envied the bond they seemed to have with their human companions, and greatly enjoyed caring for them when it came his turn for kennel duty.

The dogs settled down once he'd stopped to greet them, and all but one went back to their various activities inside the enclosure. Vera jumped up to put her front paws on the top of the gate, and nudged his hand with her head. Joran laughed and scratched her behind the ears, gazing into her all-too-intelligent eyes as he did so. Vera was still smaller than her littermates, as the kennel master had warned him might happen. She was tough, for her size, and when they set them loose to run she was always the fastest, but he worried about her in a combat situation. She had been the runt of the litter, always getting pushed aside by her siblings, until the kennel master had despaired of her ever getting enough milk to survive. Joran had volunteer to hand-raise her, using a converted water skin to hold cow's milk mixed with a little grain, and although it had been difficult at first, eventually she had grown strong.

He sighed, and Vera whined with concern. It had never bothered him that the mabari didn't seem interested in him when it came to imprinting. The kennel master had said (with utmost respect) that very few mabari ever showed interest in elves at all, and everyone knew the extraordinary circumstances behind the Commander's bond with Wiggles. He resumed scratching her ears, feeling sad. He had helped raise a lot of puppies in the years he'd been a Warden, but Vera was the first one he would be really sad to see bonded to another person. He had even been allowed to name her, after she had grown strong enough that the kennel master thought it likely she'd survive. At first he'd thought of naming her Zevra, but his lover had balked at the thought of a mabari namesake, and so he'd re-arranged the letters a bit and come up with something a bit more her own. Of course, her new human companion would be allowed to re-name her, if they wished, and Joran felt another stab of unhappiness at the thought.

He stood up, then, and headed over to where the kennel master was checking on one of the other female mabari that was pregnant. Vera looked after him in silence for a moment, before getting down and going over to an unoccupied corner of the enclosure.

\---------------------------------

Alistair looked at the dark-haired elf with concern as he prepared the recruits for the imprinting. There was very little ritual involved in a mabari imprinting, basically they let the dogs loose and everyone stood around waiting to see who they chose. He mused to himself as he told them to stand a bit apart from one another, enough room for the dogs to come between them. This was probably one of the most Ferelden of ceremonies, letting a pack of huge, muscular dogs roam around picking their masters, without any pomp or circumstance at all. Still, it was one of his favorite, because it meant no dressing up or fancy dinners where he had to remember which fork went with which dish. He glanced in Joran's direction again, where he had moved to stand in front of the enclosure holding Tally's litter, ready to open the gate. He knew that this was hard on the younger man, watching the pup he'd raised by hand go out and choose someone else. Joran was a very open and easy-going person, which was good when it came to getting new recruits to like him, but not so good when it came to how easily his feelings got hurt by things like this. He could withstand a darkspawn attack without a word, and easily traded jabs with the other Wardens in the practice yard, but this brought him low. Alistair looked to him as the younger brother he'd never had, and had gone out of his way to make sure the younger man felt welcome among the Wardens.

Alistair nodded to him. Better to get this over with as quickly as possible, rather than prolong the suffering. He could at least do that much.

Without a word, Joran opened the gate, and the mabari stepped out, all dignity and power, no longer the gangly puppies they'd been. They understood this was their time to choose, to make sure they had a companion worth fighting for, and they went about it slowly, sniffing and inspecting each recruit in turn.

Joran looked at the ground, unwilling to watch. He would have to deal with the outcome eventually, but right now he just wanted to forget why he was here. As he looked, a large paw nudged his foot. Startled, he looked up to see Vera gazing up at him expectantly. "No, girl, you have to go choose your master." She snorted and put her head to one side, but didn't budge.

Alistair clapped a hand on his back, grinning. "Don't insult her intelligence, Jor. I think it's pretty clear that she's already chosen." The mabari broke into a doggie grin, tongue lolling as she continued looking up at them.

"B-but... The kennel master said they don't choose elves..."

"Probably because most of the elves in a regular kennel tend to be servants, not warriors. Besides, you think she wouldn't know that she owes her life to you?" Alistair shook his head. "I thought you were supposed to be smart."

Vera bared her teeth at the slight, making Joran laugh. "Careful, Alistair, I think she takes offense." He knelt down and looked into the mabari's eyes. "Well then, girl, I guess we're in this together."

The mabari woofed, then licked his face gently, and he put his arms around that muscular body, happy at last with the outcome of the imprinting.

One last thought sprang into his mind, and he pulled back, a look of despair on his face. "But how am I going to explain the muddy pawprints on the bed to Zevran?"

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zevran returns home to find an intruder in his bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally written in March 2010. Part of "The Hero and the Warden" general fic world.

Zevran sighed as he trudged the long corridor back to the room he shared with Joran. It had been a very long trip, and he and Laeti had only just arrived, hours later than they had originally planned, both footsore and aching. Very little had been said upon their arrival, and they had parted almost immediately for their respective rooms.

He was aware, as always, of every shadow in the corridor, every noise and movement, but he was so tired he almost didn't care if an assassin leapt out at him. As he reached the door to his room, he stifled a yawn and opened it only wide enough for him to slip inside, not needing the almost nonexistent light from the embers of the dying fire to see his way to the bed. He heard Joran breathing, and relaxed almost before he hit the soft covers. His last thought, as his exhausted mind began sinking into sleep, was wondering where that odd smell was coming from.

Before his tired brain could reorient itself, he found that he was lying on his back, on the floor, with something heavy and furry sitting on his chest, teeth bared against his neck, growling and not budging an inch as it stared him down.

Joran's head poked up from under the covers, at first confused, then eyes widening in shock as he took in the scene. "No, Vera! Off! Zevran is a friend, remember? Off, I said!"

The blond elf sat up as the mabari stepped off him obediently, then went to sit next to the bed, between her master and the intruder. "... My dearest Warden, may I ask what that is doing here?"

Joran looked shifty as he got out of the bed, coming around the mabari to help Zevran to his feet. "You remember Vera, the mabari runt I was helping hand feed? Well, while you were away, we had the imprinting, and... well, she chose me." He looked down at the floor in embarrassment, a mannerism Zevran had always found endearing. "I was going to explain it when you got back, I just... didn't expect you in the middle of the night."

He looked over at the mabari, who looked back primly. "And you somehow thought I wouldn't notice the eighty pounds of muscled fur in between us?"

The dark-haired elf turned red. "She isn't going to sleep in bed while you're here! I just... I get lonely while you're away." His face fell and he looked miserable enough that Zevran reconsidered the harsh words he'd been thinking of saying.

The tan-skinned man drew his lover into his arms gently. "I suppose I'll just have to be satisfied with that." He looked over at the dog again. "You, however, will have to get used to sleeping in front of the fire."

Joran nodded at Vera, and the mabari obediently went over to the fireplace, where she circled three times before settling down with what sounded to Zevran like a disgruntled sigh.

The blond elf looked at the rumpled sheets with distaste. "I am much too exhausted to care right now, but first thing tomorrow these are going in the laundry. And she is getting a bath. If I have to share a room with her, she'll at least not smell like the kennels."

The dark-haired man nodded. "Of course. Now let's go to bed."

Zevran nodded, stifling another yawn as he crawled under the covers, nose wrinkling slightly at the remaining eau de mabari. He rolled over, snuggling into the warm body of his lover. As he closed his eyes, he whispered, "just make sure you don't pick up any other strays next time I'm away. I'd hate to come home to a squalling infant."

Joran chuckled, then whispered back. "Well, darn. There goes my other surprise."

 


End file.
